Slot machine game with roaming wild card

ABSTRACT

A slot machine 40, of the type having a video display screen which displays a plurality of rotatable reels 42 carrying symbols 43, is arranged to pay a prize on the occurrence of a predetermined symbol or combination of symbols. The game includes a special feature which is invoked when a special triggering combination of symbols occurs. Once the special feature is triggered a wild symbol moves around the screen progressively replacing each symbol in the display.

INTRODUCTION

The present invention relates to gaming machines of the type arranged toplay a game of poker and in particular the invention provides animprovement to a game played on such a machine.

Players who regularly play gaming machines quickly tire of particulargames and therefore it is necessary for manufacturers of these machinesto come up with innovative game features that add interest to the gamesprovided on such machines in order to keep the players amused andtherefore willing to continue playing the game.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Gaming or poker machines have been well known in the state of New SouthWales for many years and have more recently gained considerablepopularity throughout Australia, with quite substantial amounts of moneywagered on these machines. There is a growing tendency for StateGovernments to legalise the use of gaming machines by licensingoperators, with resulting revenue gains through licence fees andtaxation of monies invested. The licensed operation of gaming machinesis the subject of State legislation and regulation. This regulation mostalways dictates a maximum percentage payout for a gaming machine. Forexample, a maximum of 85% of monies invested must be returned aswinnings, and manufacturers of gaming machines therefore must designtheir machines around these regulatory controls.

With the growth that has occurred in the gaming machine market there isintense competition between manufacturers to supply the various existingand new venues. When selecting a supplier of gaming machines, theoperator of a venue will often pay close attention to the popularity ofvarious games with their patrons. Therefore, gaming machinemanufacturers are keen to devise games which are popular with players,as a mechanism for improving sales.

Many various strategies have been tried in the past to make games moreenticing to players, including the commonly known double-up feature,whereby, if a player wins a particular game, they can then risk thewinnings of that game in a double-or-nothing mode in which they gambleon a subsequent, and often different, game such as whether a red orblack card will be the next card drawn.

Other techniques adopted in the past have been to provide complexity inthe numbering and combinations of indicia which would result in a win,thereby hoping to convince the player that there is a greater chance ofwinning and to keep their interest in a particular game.

The present invention provides a game feature in which in response to atrigger condition a wild card symbol roams around the display and aprize is awarded for winning combinations created while the wild card ispositioned at each location.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention consists in a gaming machine having display means,and game control means arranged to control images displayed on thedisplay means, the game control means being arranged to play a gamewherein a plurality of symbols are randomly selected and displayed onthe display means and, if a winning combination results, the machinepays a prize, the game being characterised in that upon the occurrenceof a predetermined triggering event, a wild card symbol is displayed ina first display location and then progressively moved to each of apredetermined number of other display locations, a prize being awardedfor winning combinations formed with the wild card symbol for eachlocation in which the wild card symbol is displayed.

The present invention is applicable to video gaming machines of thetraditional poker machine style (also known as slot machines or fruitmachines) in which the display means comprises a video simulation of aset of rotatable reels, each carrying a plurality of symbols. Theinvention is equally applicable to video draw poker machines in which apoker hand is displayed on the screen, the cards of the hand beingselected from a standard 52 or 53 card deck.

Preferably, the feature of the present invention will be triggered bythe occurrence of a special symbol or a combination of special symbolsdisplayed in a particular arrangement. In the preferred embodiment thefeature is triggered by a first symbol, preferably an iceberg, appearingin the first (or left hand) column of the display and a second symbolpreferably a symbol having a coin background appearing in the last (orright hand) column of the display.

In the preferred embodiment the wild card symbol is a penguin and thissymbol is moved from one location to another via an animated walkingmotion. Preferably, the wild card symbol is first displayed at alocation at one end of the display and is progressively moved fromlocation to adjacent location until it has been displayed in each andevery location of the display.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a gaming machine with a video simulation of arotating reel display incorporating a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a video draw poker machine incorporating a secondembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a wild card symbol displayprogression path for the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description the methodology of the embodimentswill be described, and it is to be understood that it is within thecapabilities of the non-inventive worker in the art to introduce themethodology on any standard microprocessor-based gaming machine by meansof appropriate programming.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the first embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in which a slot machine 40, of the type havinga video display screen which displays a plurality of rotatable reels 42carrying symbols 43, is arranged to pay a prize on the occurrence of apredetermined symbol or combination of symbols.

In the slot machine 40 illustrated in FIG. 1, the game is initiated by apush button 44, however, it will be recognised by persons skilled in theart that this operating mechanism might be replaced by a pull handle orother type of actuator in other embodiments of the invention. The topbox 45 on top of the slot machine 40 carries the artwork panel 35 whichdisplays the various winning combinations for which a prize is paid onthis machine.

The game played on this machine is a relatively standard game whichincludes a 3 by 5 symbol display and allows multiple pay lines. The gamealso includes a special feature embodying the invention, the specialfeature being invoked when an iceberg symbol appears in the left handcolumn and a background coin symbol appears in the right hand column ofthe display. The background coin symbol as used in this game comprisesany standard symbol of the game superimposed over a background image ofa coin.

In the following description of the feature embodying the invention,game symbols will be abbreviated as listed below:

    ______________________________________                                        Penguin         PENGUIN                                                       Iceberg         ICE                                                           Polarbear       PO                                                            Seal            SE                                                            Dog             DOG                                                           Whale           WH                                                            King            K                                                             Queen           Q                                                             Jack            J                                                             Background coin                                                               /B (- = any other symbol except                                                               Iceberg and Penguin)                                          ______________________________________                                    

When the feature is invoked, a special PENGUIN sound associated with thefeature is heard and an animated PENGUIN symbol and sounds are toaccompany the animation. At each win during the feature, normal winningtunes are to be heard as the win meter increments in the same manner asfor the base game to which the feature has been added. These tunes lastfor the length of time that the win meter is incrementing.

The sequence of the features in this embodiment are as follows:

1. When an ICEBERG appears anywhere on Reel 1 together with a backgroundCOIN anywhere on Reel 5, the PENGUIN FEATURE begins.

2. The number of lines and the credits bet per line played before thefeature starts is the same for the feature.

3. When the feature begins, feature PENGUIN SOUNDS will occur and amessage centred in the display area above the symbols "PENGUIN FEATURE"is to be displayed.

4. The animated PENGUIN symbol will appear on the screen, on top of thetop left hand symbol on Reel 1.

5. The PENGUIN will move to each symbol in the window (Animation fromVideo Graphics). As the PENGUIN moves to each of the symbols the symbolchanges to a PENGUIN then changes back to the original symbol as thePENGUIN moves on to the next symbol and pays each winning combination inwhich the PENGUIN substitutes. For each paying combination the PENGUINanimation will be extended (that is, a PENGUIN dancing and moving itsarms as the meter increments. (See examples). The win meter incrementspeed for each partial feature pay will be "as if" the win meter startedat zero.

Example

    ______________________________________                                        ICE        K     J            DOG  WH                                         PO         Q     PO           PO   PO                                         SE         J     Q            WH   J/B                                        ______________________________________                                    

A combination of an ICEBERG displayed on the first reel, and a Jack withbackground coin on the last reel starts the feature.

    ______________________________________                                        PENGUIN     K     J           DOG  WH                                         PO          Q     PO          PO   PO                                         SE          J     Q           WH   J/B                                        ______________________________________                                    

When the feature begins the Penguin appears on the top symbol on Reel 1.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE         K     J           DOG  WH                                         PENGUIN     Q     PO          PO   PO                                         SE          J     Q           WH   J/B                                        ______________________________________                                    

The Penguin then moves to the second position and the top symbol changesback to the original symbol.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE         K     J           DOG  WH                                         PO          Q     PO          PO   PO                                         PENGUIN     J     Q           WH   J/B                                        ______________________________________                                    

The Penguin moves to the third position and the second symbol changesback to its original symbol.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE       K        J           DOG  SE                                        PO        Q        PO          PO   PO                                        SE        PENGUIN  Q           SE   J/B                                       ______________________________________                                    

The Penguin then moves on to the fourth position and the third symbolchanges back to its original symbol and so on. The path followed by thePENGUIN is illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 3.

6. As the PENGUIN moves from symbol to symbol, sounds of a PENGUINWALKING will be heard.

7. At each win during the feature, a `win` sound, as in the base game,will be heard as the win meter increments. Sounds are to last for thelength of time as win meter increments.

8. When the PENGUIN reaches the last position in the window, the PENGUINdisappears and a message displaying "END OF PENGUIN FEATURE" is to becentred in the display area above the symbols.

Example: Playing 9 lines: All pays each way:

Of the 15 positions the PENGUIN walks to, this example shows just someof the winning combinations.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE       Q     J            DOG  WH                                          SE        SE    SE           PO   PO                                          K         J     WH           WH   J/B                                         ______________________________________                                    

This combination starts the feature and pays 3 of a kind SEAL, 2 of akind POLAR and 3 of a kind scattered WHALE.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE         Q     J           DOG  WH                                         PENGUIN     SE    SE          PO   PO                                         K           J     WH          WH   J/B                                        ______________________________________                                    

The PENGUIN moves to the second position of the walk and pays the 3 of akind SEAL only.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE       Q        J          DOG  WH                                         SE        PENQUIN  SE         PO   PO                                         K         J        WH         WH   J/B                                        ______________________________________                                    

When the PENGUIN reaches the second column, on the centre line it pays 3of a kind SEAL and 2 of a kind POLAR.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE       Q     PENGUIN       DOG  WH                                         SE        SE    SE            PO   PO                                         K         J     WH            WH   J/B                                        ______________________________________                                    

When the PENGUIN reaches this position it will pay 3 of a kind QUEEN.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE       Q     J             DOG  WH                                         SE        SE    PENGUIN       PO   PO                                         K         J     WH            WH   J/B                                        ______________________________________                                    

When the PENGUIN reaches this position it will pay 3 of a kind SEAL, 2of a kind POLAR and 3 of a kind QUEEN.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE       Q     J           DOG    WH                                         SE        SE    SE          PENGUIN                                                                              PO                                         K         J     WH          WH     J/B                                        ______________________________________                                    

When the PENGUIN reaches this position it will pay 4 of a kind SEAL and2 of a kind POLAR and 3 of a kind JACK.

    ______________________________________                                        ICE       Q     J           DOG  WH                                           SE        SE    SE          PO   PENGUIN                                      K         J     WH          WH   J/B                                          ______________________________________                                    

When the PENGUIN reaches this position it will pay 2 of a kind POLAR.

When applied to a draw poker machine, the feature might be invoked, forexample by an ACE in the first card position and a club suit in the lastcard position.

The special feature symbol (equivalent to the PENGUIN in the previousembodiment) would then be displayed sequentially in each card positionand act as a wild card in combination with the remaining cards of thehand. A prize is awarded for each new winning combination created by thewild card.

The slot machine 60 of claim 2, is similar to that of FIG. 1 in allrespects except that instead of pseudo spinning reels 42 carryingsymbols 43, the video display 41 displays a hand of a card gamecomprising, for example, 5 cards 61 of a draw poker hand.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerousvariations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown inthe specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are,therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive.

I claim:
 1. A gaming machine having display means, and game controlmeans arranged to control images displayed on the display means, thegame control means being arranged to play a game wherein a plurality ofsymbols are randomly selected and displayed on the display means and, ifa winning combination results, the machine awards a prize, the gamebeing characterised in that, if a predetermined triggering event occurs,a wild card symbol is displayed in a first display location of thedisplayed plurality of randomly selected symbols and is thenprogressively moved to each of a predetermined number of other displaylocations before the next randomly selected symbols are displayed, aprize being awarded for winning combinations formed with the wild cardsymbol for each location in which the wild card symbol is displayed. 2.The gaming machine of claim 1 wherein the display means comprises avideo display simulating a set of rotatable reels, each carrying aplurality of symbols.
 3. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 2,wherein the triggering event is the occurrence of a special symbol or acombination of special symbols displayed in a particular arrangement. 4.The gaming machine of claim 3 wherein the triggering event is theoccurrence of a first symbol, appearing in the first (or left hand)column of the display and a second symbol appearing in the last (orright hand) column of the display.
 5. The gaming machine of claim 4wherein the first symbol is an iceberg and the second symbol is a symbolhaving a coin background.
 6. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 2,wherein the wild card symbol is a penguin and this symbol is moved fromone location to another via an animated walking motion.
 7. The gamingmachine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wild card symbol is firstdisplayed at a location at one end of the display and is progressivelymoved from location to adjacent location until it has been displayed ineach and every location of the display.
 8. The gaming machine of claim 1wherein the display means is a video display arranged to display thecards of the hand being selected from a standard 52 or 53 card deck. 9.The gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the display means is a videodisplay arranged to display the cards of the hand being selected from astandard 52 or 53 card deck.
 10. The gaming machine as claimed in claim9, wherein the triggering event is the occurrence of a special symbol ora combination of special symbols displayed in a particular arrangement.11. The gaming machine of claim 10, wherein the triggering event is theoccurrence of a first symbol, appearing in the first (or left hand)column of the display and a second symbol appearing in the last (orright hand) column of the display.
 12. The gaming machine of claim 11,wherein the first symbol is an iceberg and the second symbol is a symbolhaving a coin background.
 13. The gaming machine as claimed in claim 9,wherein the wild card symbol is a penguin and this symbol is moved fromone location to another via an animated walking motion.
 14. The gamingmachine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the wild card symbol is firstdisplayed at a location at one end of the display and is progressivelymoved from location to adjacent location until it has been displayed ineach and every location of the display.